Releasable ski binder



E. BRAUN RELEASABLE SKI BINDER May 28, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 7, 1955 INVENTOR.

EDUARD BRAUN BY W W/1w E.- BRAUN RELEASABLE SKI BINDER May 28, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 7, 1955 INVENTOR.

' EDUARD BRAUN flag/w) May 28, 1957 BRAUN 2,793,869

RELEASABLE SKI BINDER I Filed March 7, 1955 4 Shets-Sheet s INVENTOR. EDUARD BRAUN ,I. I I

May 28, 1957 E. BRAUN RELEASABLE SKI BINDER 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March "7, 1955 INVENTOR. EDUARD BRAUN United States RELEASABLE SKI BINDER Eduard Braun, New York, N. Y. Application March 7, 1955 Serial No. 492,465 3 Claims. (01. a so-11.35

This invention is a ski binding including ski-bootengaging plungers spaced longitudinally of a ski and quickly releasable fromthe boot to disengage the boot from the ski and means connected between the boot and ski for preventing loss of the ski after the boot is so disengaged.

Among important objects of the invention are the following:

To insure complete and full release of the boot merely by depression of a cam lever shiftable either by ones finger or by the point of a ski pole;

' To maintain 'a'sure binding of the ski to the boot under normal conditions, that will not be accidentally released'unde'r normal strains; but will be automatically released at any angle of 180 when obstacles produce undue strain.

To permit mounting of the binding on the ski with a minimum of difiiculty; and I I A 'To' retain the released ski in proximity to the skier by a flexible,universal' connecting means particularly adapted to resist entanglement with the ski.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to 'the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Figs. 1 and 2 are side elevations respectively showing the boot in engaged and disengaged positions.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal section through the retractable plunger assembly.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 through the other plunger assembly.

' Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a section on line 66 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged, fragmentary perspective view of one of the boot plates.

Fig. 8 is a section on line $-8 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 9 is a still further enlarged perspective view of the cam lever per se.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary side elevation of the boot showing the side opposite that shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 11 is a greatly enlarged section on line ll1--1l of Fig. 2.

Fig. 12 is an enlarged side elevation of a modified connector.

Fig. 13 is an enlarged perspective view of a modified boot plate.

A ski 10 and boot 12, both conventional per se, are illustrated in association with the ski binding constituting the invention.

The invention includes a heel plate 14 secured by screws 16 to the boot and having (Fig. 7) an upstanding portion to which is rigidly secured a boss 18 having a center recess. A heel cushion 20 is secured to the ski below Patented May 28, 19 57 heel plate 14 and a toe cushion 22 is similarly secured to the ski below a toe plate 24 secured by screws to the toe part of the beot and having an upstanding portion formed with an indentation 26.

A toe clamp or plunger assembly (Figs. 4 and 5) includes a cylindrical clamp 28 having depending, contacting legs 34) embracing between them a reinforcing plate 31, and drawn together by a'connecting screw 32. Outwardly projecting feet 34 on the legs are secured by screws 36 to the ski.

A cylindrical plunger housing 38 gripped by the clamp has at its'inner end a cap40 and aim outer end has an end wall formed with a cylindrical guideway extending axially of the housing. Threaded in the guideway is a tension-adjusting screw 42 having a lock nut 44 bearing against the end wall. A washer 46 secured to the inner end of'the screw provides an abutment for one end of a compression spring 43 the other end of which bears against a collar 50 formed upon a plunger or detent 52 having a conical tip 54 projecting through a center opening of cap 40 to engage in indentation 26.

The heel plunger assembly (Figs. 3 and 6) includes a clamp 56 similar to clamp 23 and engaging about a cylindrical housing 58 having at its inner end a cap 66.

In the other end of the housing 58 is'threaded a screw 62 provided with a lock or jarn'nut 64 and formed with an axial bore in which isslidable a plunger 66 formed at one end with a conical tip '70 engaging in boss 18. A spring 68 is held under compression between a collar '72 rigid with plunger 66 adjacent tip 70 and collar 74 secured to screw 62.

At the outer end of screw 62, a washer 76 is circumposed about the plunger. Beyond the washer, a cross pin '78 extends through the plunger stem and at its ends is recevied in openings formed in a cam lever 80, thus pivotally mounting the lever on the plunger. The inner end of the lever is ofchannel formation (Fig. 9) and the edges of the sides 82 of the lever are curved eccentrically to the pivot axis of the lever, to form cam surfaces 84 The' outer end of the lever is spoon-shaped to define an upwardly facing depression 8 6. A user, crouching in 'a skiing position and faced with an emergency dictating quick release of the skis, can extend the tips of his ski poles 88 (Fig. 2) into the depressions of the ski bindings of his boots. Alternatively he can press on the levers with his fingers. This will rock the lever from its Fig. 1 to its Fig. 2 position. Cam surfaces 84-, engaging washer 76, will cause the rocking of the lever to be translated into axial movement of the plunger 66 to the left in Figs. 1, 2, or 3, thus retracting the tip 70 and disengaging the boot from the ski.

Although the ski will not be accidently released under normal strains, due to this, construction it will become released automatically either at the toe or heel portion, at any angle of 180 when any obstacle is encountered which may produce undue strain, and thus it will prevent accidents.

To prevent, loss of the released ski, a tubular, upwardly projecting bracket 90 (Fig. 11) is secured to the ski rearwardly of the lever and houses a coil spring 92 held under compression between the ski and a recessed ball formed on the lower end of a stem 94 and engaged in bracket 90. The stem is thus universally movable relative to the bracket, but is resiliently and yieldably biased to a normal upstanding position by the spring. An enlargement 96 is formed on the upper end of the stem and surrounding the stem below the enlargement is a split spring washer 8 seating on an inturned end flange of a sleeve 100 into block 104 in which is threaded an axially disposed screw 106 attaching to the block the folded outer end of a flexible strap 108 having at its other end a releasable clasp 110 connected to an ankle strap 112 (Fig. of the boot harness.

In the modified strap attachment means of Fig. 12, a base plate 114 secured to the ski has an upstanding shank 116 about which is circumposed a spring 118.

In a transverse opening in the shank there is rockably Q mounted the lower end of an elliptical loop 120 the upper end of which is pivotally engaged in a transverse opening of the depending, reduced stem 122 of a tapered block 124 against which the upper end of the spring abuts. A ball formation 126 on the upper end of the block holds against detachment from the block an approximately L-shaped, wide connector plate 128 having a slot loosely receiving the block 124 and connected to strap 108.

In Fig. 13 a modified boot plate 130, usable either at the heel or toe of the boot, has an upstanding wall 132 on which is fixed an indented boss 134. Large, transversely spaced openings 136 of the plate are adapted to receive cleats (not shown) provided on the boot. Smaller apertures 138 are provided also in the event one desires to fixedly attach the plate to the boot.

Attached to the opposite sides of the upstanding plate portion are straps 140, and these can extend over the upper of the boot, after which they are connected by a conventional buckle, not shown, to hold the plate on the boot.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

l. A quickly releasable binding for a ski and boot comprising a pair of plunger assemblies mountable on a ski at opposite ends of a boot, each assembly including a plunger, and means attachable to the respective ends of the boot engageable by the respective plungers, one at least of the plungers being retractable to disengage the same from the associated means for releasing the ski from the boot, said assemblies each including a clamp fixedly connectable to the ski, a plunger housing gripped by the clamp, the plunger being axially shiftable in the housing, and a spring biasing the plunger in the direction of the other assembly, each assembly further including a screw threaded in the housing and bearing against one end of the spring to adjust the tension thereof, the screw of said one assembly having an axial bore and the plunger of said one assembly being slidable in the bore, said one assembly including an abutment at one end of the screw bearing against the screw and cam means bearing against the abutment and mounted on the plunger, for shifting the plunger in .an opposite direction to retract the same, said cam means comprising a lever rockably mounted on the plunger of said one assembly and adapted at one end to be rocked by a user, said lever being substantially parallel to the ski end having a cam surface at its other end eccentric to the axis of rocking movement thereof and engaging said abutment.

2. A quickly releasable binding for a ski and boot comprising a pair of plunger assemblies mountable on a ski at opposite ends of a boot, each assembly including a plunger, and means attachable to the respective ends of the boot engageable by the respective plungers, one at least of the plungers being retractable to disengage the same from the associated means for releasing the ski from the boot, said assemblies each including a clamp fixedly connectable to the ski, a plunger housing gripped by the clamp, the plunger being axially shiftable in the housing, and a spring biasing the plunger in the direction of the other assembly, each assembly further including a screw threaded in the housing and bearing against one end of the spring to adjust the tension thereof, the screw of said one assembly having an axial bore and the plunger of said one assembly being slidable in the bore, said one assembly including an abutment at one end of the screw bearing against the screw and cam means bearing against the abutment and mounted on the plunger, for shifting the plunger in an opposite direction to retract the same, said cam means comprising a lever rockably mounted on the plunger of said one assembly and adapted at one end to be rocked by a user, said lever being substantially parallel to the ski end, having a cam surface at its other end eccentric to the axis of rocking movement thereof and engaging said abutment, said one end of the lever being substantially spoon-shaped to define therein a depression normally opening upwardly and shaped to receive the tip of a ski pole held by the user.

3. Apparatus for fastening a boot to a ski comprising a buckle connected to the boot, a tubular bracket fastened on the ski, a coil spring within said bracket, an upright stem having a recessed ball end seated on the coil spring, an enlargement on the other end of the stem, a tubular block encompassing said enlargement, a sleeve surrounding said block, means for securing the block and sleeve together, a screw threaded into said block, and a strap secured at one end to said screw and at its other end to the buckle on the boot.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 883,8l1 Kraus Apr. 7, 1908 1,478,735 Czapk'owsky Dec. 25, 1923 2,037,404 Utley Apr. 14, 1936 2,474,690 Robinson et al. June 28, 1949 2,491,485 Durham Dec. 20, .1949 2,603,392 Costa July 15, 1952 2,616,714 \Cubberley Nov. 4, 1952 2,667,359 Goodman Jan. 26, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 126,223v Switzerland June 1, 1928 185,701 Switzerland Mar. 1, 1937 191,261 Switzerland Aug. 16, 1937 169,906 Austria Dec. 27, 1951 1,058,127 France Nov. 4, 1953 

